Applicants sought for Citizens’ Police Academy, beginning Nov. 5

Rockford Police Department is accepting applications for its upcoming Citizens’ Police Academy, which runs Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. beginning Nov. 5 and ending Jan. 7, 2015. The academy meets at the Public Safety Building, 420 W. State St.

Since 2009, the Rockford Police Department has been engaging the community by offering a Citizens’ Police Academy. The mission of the Citizens’ Police Academy is to build cooperative relationships between citizens and the police through training and education. The police academy produces a network of informed citizens who can return to their neighborhoods to organize, encourage and mobilize others, to partner with police in reducing crime in Rockford.

The success of the Citizens’ Police Academy has led to the formation of the Citizens Assisting Police (CAP) volunteer program in 2010 and has contributed to more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service to the Rockford Police Department.

Volunteers can be an important part of any organization and are proven to be a valuable asset to law enforcement agencies. Volunteers help to increase police responsiveness, service delivery, and information input, and they provide new program opportunities. In addition, volunteers can bring new skills and expertise to the job and prompt new enthusiasm.

The Rockford Police Department has trained more than 200 citizens since 2009 and has 32 active police volunteers.

Those interested may register for the academy online at www.rockfordil.gov/police (scroll down to the “Citizens’ Police Academy” logo; print and fill out the application; and email or mail the application back to Sgt. Carla Redd) or may obtain an application by contacting Sgt. Redd at carla.redd@rockfordil.gov, (815) 987‐5041, or at the Police Department, 420 W. State St., Rockford, IL 61101.